1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system for facilitating the diagnosis and servicing of an automotive vehicle. More particularly, the invention relates to a system that makes equipment or vehicle identification, specifications, service history and present condition readily available to those involved in diagnosing and servicing the equipment and provides a means for advising the equipment owner and the servicing agency with information on the present status of the diagnosis and service activities being performed.
2. Prior Art
The servicing of modern automotive vehicles has become extremely complicated and, to some extent, virtually impossible for some persons because of the complexity of the vehicle, the inadequacy of available specifications on the vehicle and the changes in regulatory requirements applicable to the vehicle. Further, the capability of some diagnostic equipment used in diagnosing and servicing vehicles has not kept pace with changes in the vehicles. Added to these complications is a growing scarcity of personnel trained in servicing such complicated equipment. For example, whereas it had been possible to service many vehicles with internal combustion engines by checking the condition of ignition parts, adjustments of carburetors, or condition of electrical systems and replacing some or all parts, the newer vehicles have engines that do not have the older conventional ignition parts, the fuel supply is not easily adjusted, and the electrical system is sometimes separately controlled by its own built-in computer. Further, some governmental regulatory agencies prohibit some adjustments or have established operating conditions for vehicle engines that require adjustments to an engine's operation that can only be accomplished with special test equipment.
In addition to the complexity of individual parts of a vehicle's drive system, the specifications for some vehicles are further complicated by the many options that are available to the vehicle owner in body style, engine size and type, transmission, and accessory equipment. Some vehicles have different specifications depending upon the factory where the vehicle was assembled or the time in the model year when the vehicle was completed. In some cases manufacturers have changed specifications on particular vehicle engines because of design improvements, original errors or changes in regulations.
Communication of these original specifications, the changes, and other pertinent information relating to groups of engines or specific vehicles has become difficult. It is both difficult to get the information to the vehicle owner and to get the information to the vehicle services agency. Sometimes it is even more difficult to get the person to whom the information is sent, to read and apply the information to the diagnostic and servicing function.
It has been known to provide manuals for service information and, more recently, to provide the service information in microfilm form for review on a view screen. Such microfilm systems require updating by physical replacement of outdated information and therefore have the same problem of communication dependent, to some extent, upon the interest of the receiver of the information.
Most manufacturers supply some essential vehicle specifications in readable form fixed to the vehicle. Such specifications provide identification for the vehicle and other pertinent information that will enable a person servicing the vehicle to identify vehicle and engine specifications. If changes are made in the vehicle, the identification fixed to the vehicle may no longer apply. Further, if the manufacturer or a regulatory agency makes changes that apply to a particular vehicle, those changes will not be known from a reference to the specifications fixed to the vehicle.
Engine analyzers are also known, some are general purpose for use with many vehicles and some are specific to a particular manufacturer's vehicle, and some manufacturers have built microprocessers into the vehicle so as to provide part or all of the engine analysis function. Some engine analyzers merely measure existing conditions in a vehicle and are unable to compare the measured conditions to a standard on a particular specification. Other analyzers provide complete diagnostic capabilities including advising the operator on what corrections should be made.
The summary of the foregoing with regard to the state of the prior art in the modern complicated and regulated vehicle engine diagnosis and service business, is that there is a growing need for a system that will permit an operator or vehicle owner to know the operating specifications for a vehicle, the present condition of the vehicle, the recommended services that could be performed on the vehicle to improve its operation, and the service that has previously been performed on the vehicle.
The system of the present invention is intended to satisfy that need and to provide the vehicle owner and service operator with a means for communicating with records on the owner's vehicle to determine the specifications for the vehicle, what has previously been done to the vehicle, and what is recommended to be done to the vehicle.
The system further provides the owner with a visible and/or printed record of what services are recommended and a record showing that the services are in progress or have been completed. The system provides the service operator with a record of individual vehicle services being recommended and performed, all services of a particular class or type being performed on vehicles in that service location, and recap capabilities on daily or other time intervals to assist in record keeping, scheduling and inventory control.
The objects and features of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the appended drawings and specification illustrated preferred embodiments.